Panoramic camera.



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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

WILLIAM B. THOMSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO R.. H. TRUMBULL, OF SAME PLACE.

PANORAM IC CAM ERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 673,461, dated May 7, 1901.

l Application filed September 2, 1399. Serial No. 729,275. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM B. THOMSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic Cameras, of which the following is a speciiication. j A

My invention relates to certain improve@ ments in photographic cameras designed for the purpose of providing means for taking panoramic and cycloramic views of the objects and scenery surrounding any given po also operates the camera to sweep it yaround to bring the various objects in focus.

It is also the purposeof the invention to so construct the camera that it may be used in the mannerv of the ordinary photographic camera and by a slight Vadjustment may be changed into a panoramic camera, and vice versa, enabling a series of ordinary views or a series of panoramic `Views or a series of alternating views to be taken upon the same film.

These objects and purposes and others are attained by means of certain mechanism containing novel characteristics or features which will be clearly set forth in the following description and the essential elements of which will be pointed out in the appended claims. n

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective of a complete camera mounted in position upon its turn-table. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with the top cover removed. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section in line 3 3 of Fig. 4.. Fig. 4 is a vertical section in line 4. 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical section in line 5 5 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow 5. Fig. `6 is a detail plan of the end portion of the clockwork, disclosed by cutting away the upper portion in the plane 6 6 of Figs. t and 5 and breaking away one corner of the bottom plate of the clock-movement. Fig. 7 is a vertical section in line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a horizontal detail section in line 8 8 of Fig. 7, and Fig. 9 is a detail Vertical section in line 9 9 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, A is the camerabox, shown as the ordinary rectangular form' and having upon the top a cover A', forming an upward extension, in which is accommodated certain spring-actuated clockwork adapted to operate the camera. Y l

The bottom A2 (see Figs. 4 and 5) is removable and carries two upwardlyextending wings ct a', upon the top of which is a horizontal partition a2, (see Figs. 4 and 5,) making the framework upon which is carried the nlm-supporting devices and the devices for adjusting the camera for use either in the taking of the ordinary photographic views or the panoramic or cycloramie.

Looking at`V Fig. 3 two spools D E will be seen mounted upon upright axes and carrying a film F, which passes about antifriction-rollers G G at the rear corners of the camera, and passes betweentwo rollers H I upon the left-hand side in the drawings. The spool D is the loose spool and the spool E is geared` positively to the working mechanism to wind up the film. The roller H is a friction-roller bearing upon the film and geared to both rotate the camera and operate a stop to check the clock-movement at the proper time. A slotted gate or iilm cover J is hinged at j upon a vertical rod provided with a head j* (see Fig. l) vfor operating it from without the case, sofas to swing it from the position seen in Fig. 3 in full lines to that shown in dotted lines. In the former position a vertical slot j@ is the only opening through which the light from the lens can reach the film. In the latter position the entire rear portion of the film is' exposed to the light, as in the ordinary camera. When the shutter is thrown forward, as seen in dotted lines, the camera may be used in the ordinary manner to take a series ofviews one after the other of such objects as may be in range at the time of exposure. When the shutter is thrown back, however, exposing the film only through the slot, the camera may be rotated and the film simultaneously advanced to take successively all of the objects surroundln'g4 thel point at which the camera is located.

Looking at Fig. 2 a clock-movement Kwill be seen provided with suitable springs, winding devices, andtrain of gears,which are of common form and not necessary to describe,

move or replace the iilm. The spool E, which winds-up the film,y is provided with a central bore es to receive the spindle e' and at the top with radially-extending slots e4 to receive a winged portion e5 of the spindle, which pre Vents rotation of the spool upon y the latter. The train of gears of the ymovement K also rotates a spindle Zt',.(see`Figs. 2, 5, and 6,) bearing a cross-bar lo, carrying two spring brake-shoes k3, locatedwithin' a stationary drum 7a4. The cross-bar also has a pin h5, by means of which the movement may be absolutely checked. The spring` brake shoes limit they speed of` the movement by coming into frictional contact with the inside of fsaid arms m3.

the drum when the Avelocity is such as to overcome their elasticity bythe centrifugal force. I y 4A spindle M (see Figs. 5 and 6) is pivoted Y in the clock-movement, extending abovethe top cover in the form of a button m. This spindle carries three horizontalarms m m2m3. The arm m is adapted by frictional contact with the spindle to provide means for preslot (see x, Figs. 3 and 5) covered by a red' 'glasszt to expose thenumbers upon theback, of the film-cover.. The. slot is an advantage I over the ordinary round opening in the center S of the back, because in taking thepanoramic viewsthe end of the film should befstarted opposite the vertical slot in the swinging film.- Q'cover J; otherwise the jthis slot will be wasted.

venting the movement of the clockwork vby means of the button lm. The arm m2 has a horizontal hooked end adaptedv to engage thepin 755,. and the arm m3 hasgadowntnrned end adapted to enter a notch n in astop-plate N, to be described below. A spring m4 (see Fig.

-5) tends to keep the arm m2 hooked over the pin'and the arm main the` notch, thus tending toprevent the movement of the clockwork when in this positionand to stop such g fthe operation is exactly the same as that of @the ordinary form except that the film is ad- Vanced by turning the button m to start the clockwork. When the lm reaches the de- 'sired point, the button is released and the film. is checked'.v

movement whenever permitted to return thereto. The disk N is'adapted to hold the arm mi. to prevent engagement of the arm/rn2 with the pin whenever the notch in the disk ismoved away from thedownturned end of the-gear O, (see Fig. 6,) rotated byan intermediate gearo and a pinion h2, turned by the squared upper end h of ya shaft h,-secured` I against rotation in the friction-roller H. The

pinion h2 isjournaled in the lower plate of the clock-movement, asseen inFig. 7 so that the squared end of the shaft may bedrawn An4adapted to be rotated by hand, and be- Said disk is fast upon a post n?, mounted upon a spindle o (see Fig. 9) of ton 'n4 is turned toward theV right through 'an' langle equal to that of the proposed viewand `released simultaneously with the opening of vthe shutter. `leases the clockwork, and the camera is rof tated and the film advanced until the predefrom it in taking the film-carrying devices fFom the box. The post' n2 fits over the spindle o (seeFig. 9) vby means lof a split springsocket n3, the friction between the two parts being suflicient to enable the spindle to rotate the post, but the parts being loose enough to Apermit of the independent rotation ofthe post Aby hand to set the stop-disk Nin anydesired position. At the top of the post is a button tween this bntton and the stop-diskl is adialdisk n, arranged to be substantially flush with the top of the cover, as seen in Fig. l, said dial-disk'being-preferably provided with a series of figures around its 'outer margin,

marking the desired fractionsof its`circumference, and the cover is provided vwith a pointer a4, locatedat 'the zero-markV ofthe scale. In the bottom of the case and in theVertical line of the lens B is asocket P, (see Fig.l 5,)

ard q andA bearing a 'horizontal friction-gear g', provided with a knurled beveled edge'qf 4The shaft h of the friction-roller H extends lthrough the bottom of the box and bears a horizontal friction pinion Q9, also provided with a. knurled edge beveled op positely to, that of the gear q' and adapted to travel around` ksaid gear when the frictiondroller isrot'ated.

.pointof exposure through a distanceveqnal 1 tosuch movement, thuspresenting fresh film to the various objects brought successively into range. The gears O 0 h2 (see Fig. 6) are preferably so proportioned as to make. the `dial n'tnrn once with each vrotation of the` camera. y l

In'the rear side ofthe boxis a horizontal portion whichpasses` In the use of the camera for ordinary views yIn the panoramic use-of the camerathe but- The turning of the button re.-

termined-angle has been completed, when. the

'Y fitted to which is' a pin Q, rising from a stand-` l roo taining a slotted film-cover, of a pair of filmholding spools, guides for carrying the film behind the slot, gearing for rotating the camera, gearing for Winding up the film upon one of the spools to advance it behind the slot, a motor connected with the rotating gear and the film-advancing gear and stop device to check the motor, a notched disk slippingly supported on the gear and rotated thereby,

said disk being adaptedto actuate the stop de-v vice and an external dial connected with the disk and having a predetermined relation to the notch; substantially as described.

2. The combination with a rotatable camera provided with suitable film holding and exposing devices, of a motor adapted to operate the same, an automatic stop therefor and a hand-operated stop therefor, the operation of the hand-operated stop serving to release the automatic stop for setting; substantially as described.

v 3. The combination with a rotatable camera provided with suitable film holding and advancing devices, of a substantially rigid swing-Y ing door pivoted transversely to the lens-axis and swinging from a position in front ot' the exposed portion of the lm to a position away from between said portion and the lens, said door being slotted transversely to the line of motion of the film substantially as described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 29th day of August, A. D.

WILLIAM B. THOMSON.

Witnesses: Y

CEAS. yO. SHERVEY, H. BITNER. 

